What I am trying to understand is, how a husband and wife, both pilots,
would not challenge their spouse's decision to press a situation which
might lead to an uncertain outcome?

I have no idea. Mary and I operate like yin and yang, left brain/right
brain, leaving little room (we hope) for error. How two pilots,
spouses, no less, could press a bad situation is beyond me.

(Of course, has anyone determined for sure that there was a situation
badly pressed in this recent accident?)

Maybe there is a new thread, do spouses that fly together use a
challenge and response type of CRM when they fly together?

Not exactly. We each have our own methods of pre-flight and
pre-landing check-lists, and we both keep a watchful eye on the other,
making sure that no items are overlooked. I don't speak up unless
something is obviously out of place, however.

The only time we use a call-out system is on the takeoff roll, when the
stakes are highest. The copilot's call-outs a

1. "Six good bars" (meaning that our JPI EDM-700 engine analyzer is
showing all six cylinders functioning properly)

2. "Manifold pressure good"

3. "RPMs good"

4. "Airspeed's alive"

If any one of these four parameters aren't met to our satisfaction, we
will abort the takeoff. By doing it this way, the pilot can keep his
eyes on the runway, instead of down inside the plane.

If either one or the other expresses a concern, do they land and sort it
out?

As a VFR pilot with IFR training (but no IR), my minimums are somewhat
lower than Mary's. (She has had no IFR training since her Private.)
Thus, occasionally she will express concern that the ceiling is coming
down, or visibility is getting lower than her comfort level.

We will have a brief discussion (if I'm flying), or we will land
immediately (if she's flying). There has only been one occasion (in 12
years) where I pressed on when she really wanted to land, and I have
regretted it ever since...if you know what I mean... ;-)

Does one or the other have overriding veto?

Nope. We both have an equal say in the cockpit -- but we also know
that the copilot NEVER takes control of the plane unless they feel
their lives are directly threatened. This has also only happened once
(when I saw a plane on a collision course coming in from our 8 o'clock
position, and pushed the yoke down without warning) in 12 years.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"